Access to democracy is declining in practical terms. This is one of the main reasons that it costs so much to build public infrastructure like high-speed rail

Access to democracy is declining in practical terms. This is one of the main reasons that it costs so much to build public infrastructure like high-speed rail or a new tunnel under the Hudson, and why the government is not doing enough on climate change despite the results of surveys, for instance. A minority can veto actions that would benefit everyone else.